MH-232 Daedelus - Exquisite CorpseThe new release from Daedelus, Exquisite Corpse is an ode to, and a lament for hip-hop culture. Featuring solo contributions and collaborative efforts with guests whose performances range from traditional (MF Doom, Sci from Scienz of Life) to poetic (Mike Ladd, Cyne, Laura Darling) to experimental (Prefuse 73, Hrishikesh Hirway of the One AM Radio, TTC, Jogger), Daedelus forms the seemingly disparate elements of sound found on the album with a single-minded vision. The album's title has a triple meaning: a reference to death, a grand body of work, and the Impressionist group drawing game of the same name. The guest MCs and vocalists contrast their own styles with Daedelus' sugar-laden undercoating proving that there are no limits to what can be included on a hip-hop album.

Everything about Daedelus smacks of being different - from his strictly Edwardian clothing right down to the name he has chosen for himself (an ancient Greek legend). The artist, who hails from LA, is billed as a young musical romantic who gets his kicks from weaving together a true love-sound that falls between honeyed melody and avant-electronics. He contrasts IDM-styled cut-ups with childlike arrangements from the 30s and 40s, working with collaborators from the world of hip-hop and beyond. Hence, his latest work, Exquiste Corpse, includes elements of the traditional (MF Doom, Sci from Scienz of Life) to the poetic (Mike Ladd, Cyne, Laura Darling) to the downright experimental (Prefuse 73, Hrishikesh Hirway of the One AM Radio, TTC), while retaining that trademark Daedelus style. The result is a curious mix of the mainstream and the offbeat, seamlessly moulded together to create a truly unique listening party. Opening track, "Dearly Departed," for instance, opens with some messy Hammond organ before breaking into one of the aforementioned childlike arrangements, with some truly sweet female vocals set over a chilled beat. Better still, however, are the funky grooves of "Just Briefly," a desperately upbeat hip-shaker that recalls the cool vibe of a Holmes retro workout. "Move On," featuring Sci is another mixed up joyride that veers from the sublime to the ridiculous, while the hip-hop grooves of "Drops" are probably as close the mainstream as the album gets. Some of the more obscure and experimental stuff takes some getting used to but it's credit to Daedelus skill as a mixer that he seldom dwells on any one thing for too long, so that the album, as a whole, never feels protracted or dwells where it shouldn't. Exquiste Corpse might not appeal to all tastes, but it does provide an exceptional showcase for a rapidly-emerging artist who can lay claim to the boast that he has very few imitators. That reason alone makes him worth listening to. - Indie London